Even if the Sun Sets
by Medliii
Summary: Haruka and Takane have finally regained their rightful existences. Now there's just one more thing Takane needs to do, to really feel human again. [Super-fluffy, HaruTaka one-shot. My take on what might happen between them after the last episode of Mekakucity Actors. Spoilers, obviously.]


Even if the Sun Sets

They sat next to one another in comfortable silence. Takane could feel herself shaking a bit; she could hardly bring herself to look his way. The girl only stared down at the yellow skirt overlapping her leggings. She fiddled with the fabric, comfortable, but unsure of what to say.

It'd been about a week since they'd gotten their bodies back. Takane hadn't tried getting back in contact with her parents, neither had Haruka. Neither were quite sure how they'd explain the situation to their families, and for right now, they didn't want to worry about it. It was nice just being able to have a breathe of fresh air—to relax. Or at least, that's how Haruka felt. That's how Takane _said_ she felt, but being so close to Haruka—_physically _close to him for the first time in two years, it was a rather difficult to concentrate on anything, she had to say.

They'd both been staying at the Dan's secret base, and while they were together, they were never really alone together. So when she saw Haruka carrying only his sketch pad in hand, walking towards the door to leave on that late Sunday afternoon, Takane worked up two years worth of courage in getting his attention.

"Haruka?" she called to him, stopping him on his way out.

He turned, catching sight of the shorter girl. "Ah—Ene," he smiled at her, absently addressing her as everyone did now—as "Ene". It made her heart hurt in a strange way; she didn't think much of it however.

"Where are you going?" she was quick to ask, seeming un-phased. "Don't you need your wheelchair?"

He shook his head. "I feel fine right now. I wanted to go for a walk, to the park—to draw for a little while."

"You shouldn't go alone," she told him, crossing her arms, frowning. "What happens if you collapse?"

"Ah." He paused for a moment, being his absent minded self. "I didn't think about that."

Giving a deep sigh, Takane put a hand to her forehead. "Some things never change," she said in frustration.

"Will Ene come with me?" he asked abruptly, gazing down at her with an eager smile. And Takane, suddenly feeling her heart beat fast, was quick to look away—but of course, she nodded "yes".

And that's how they found themselves here—on this summery, hot, late-August day. The sun was already setting, cloaking the world in a bright orange light. It gave Takane a sort of nostalgic feeling. She knew why.

It was only in the slightest, but out of the corner of her eye—she looked to the boy beside her. He was just as she remembered. Well, save for a few things. By some weird side effect, the once endearing dot under his eye was now replaced two black, circular marks. His hair almost looked like he'd tried to dye it blonde, too; it was light brown in color. But all in all, he looked like himself again. Maybe it was just because he was smiling. Whatever it was, Takane found herself thinking him more beautiful than ever.

As she stared at him, Takane felt her cheeks heating up—a sensation she still wasn't use to, despite being back in her body for nearly a week. But, for the first time in her life, she was okay with the inconvenient blush spreading across her face. Such an uncontrollable reaction almost made her forget she was ever a program.

"You know," Haruka finally said suddenly, snapping Takane from her transfixed state. Shaking her head a bit, she looked off to the side, though still listening to him. "I haven't drawn in nearly two years. I wonder if I've forgot," he laughed a little.

"I'm sure you haven't," Takane mused him. "I mean, look at me. I was able to pick my PS3 controller right back up and my aim's just as perfect as it used to be!" she boasted proudly.

He laughed a bit. "Somehow I knew you wouldn't wait long before going back to your games," said Haruka, never taking his eye off the sketchpad in his lap. It was after a moment, but Haruka began gliding his pencil across the page, leaving streaks of graphite on its smooth surface.

"Well of course," Takane replied. "Now that I'm back in this body, I might as well do the things I couldn't when I was in that guy's computer."

Haruka nodded, understanding entirely. "I know what you mean," he said.

She laughed a bit. "I'm sure you do, of all people."

Infected with her laughter, he gave a bright smile. Dotting his pencil on the page, he casually asked, "Is there anything else Takane wants to do now?"

Suddenly, and still looking away, Takane caught her breath. With his simple statement, her heart raced—for two different reasons. Firstly, the realization of her answer, of course, and second—the fact that he, for the first time in two years, had called her by her name. Her true name. Takane.

Overwhelmed, she couldn't stop the few tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She hunched her shoulders hanging her head. It was only when she started sniffling did she catch Haruka's attention. "Takane...?" he said, then alarmed as he saw a single drop fall from her face to her palm. Forgetting the sketchpad in his lap, he turned his full attention to her. Had he said something? "Takane, what's wrong?"

"Haruka," was all she could say. He looked at the girl beside him with concern.

Wearing her heart on her sleeve for the first time in either of her lives, she found the courage to look over to him. She tilted her head up, gazing into his innocent, gray eyes. She was blushing again, she was still crying—but she didn't try to _hide _it. And, so very uncharacteristically, she didn't try to hide the smile spread across her lips either.

Haruka was taken aback, seeing such an expression on his old friend's face. It was one he'd certainly never seen before. It almost made him want to smile, too, but he didn't, thinking that might be a bit insensitive. In a bold move, Takane was sudden, though abnormally gentle to wrap her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly. He flinched at first (confused, to say the least)—until Takane finally found her voice.

Speaking softly, and just to him, Takane whispered, "I've missed you so much."

He was stunned, though just for just a moment, wondering what exactly was going on. Was he really alive again? Was this really happening? He'd never seen her like this. Then picking up on the reality of the situation, he exhaled. Now unable to resist smiling, too, he slowly returned the gesture, placing his hands softly around her back. Gentle as he'd always been, he embraced her as well. "I've missed you, too, Takane."

It was quiet for a moment, she was shy—but there was so much she wanted to say. "I've thought about you every day," she finally confessed, as her heart raced a mile a minute.

Haruka blinked again. "Really?" he said, disbelief apparent in his voice. Her statement was certainly surprising. He felt her nod "yes" in reply. Though, he was sad, as he couldn't exactly say the same. It felt more like he'd been sleeping for a long time, with dreams and nightmares he couldn't control. If only he could've thought about her every day, then he certainly would have.

"You know," he finally spoke, daring to pull back from their embrace in the slightest, "the last thing I remember thinking, before I died," he paused and looked his friend in the eye, "was how much I wanted to see you again."

She caught her breath a bit, beyond surprised. Flustered, she looked away after a moment. Ah—she felt herself blushing again. Takane covered her hand over her face, shy. To which Haruka soon laughed, realizing he'd embarrassed her.

"Shut up," she muttered, as he, again, couldn't help but laugh. Feeling that much more worked up, she snapped, "I-If you're lying I'm gonna punch you in the stomach!"

"I'm not, I'm not!" he replied (still trying to hold in his giggles), as he put his hands up defensively.

Takane gave him a suspicious look. Though knowing he'd never been one to lie, she asked, "Really?"

Collecting himself, he nodded. "It's the truth," Haruka said earnestly. "It really is what I wanted, right up until my last moments alive." Those words sent chills down Takane's spine. She was silent, however, wiping away the few tears still in her eyes. He only smiled at her, just like he used to.

Takane pondered the fact; he wanted to be with her, up until the very end.

That wasn't too different from her, now was it?

She remembered running down their school's hallway before collapsing—as it soon faded into a hopeless future. She remembered how much her heart hurt, how much it always had. She remembered the three words she wanted to tell him, more than anything—mostly because, she'd never forgotten. The two held a long pause. Takane looked deep in thought, so Haruka said nothing, but he didn't stop smiling at her either.

Shyly, she eventually reached in her bag beside her, pulling out her signature pair of headphones—but what for? To shut him out in the same way she always had? No, that wasn't the reason at all. It was exactly the opposite. "Haruka?" she said.

"Hm?"

"Will you… put these on?" she asked, abnormally timid. "Just for a minute."

A bit confused by her statement, he blinked. Indulging her regardless, he nodded. "Sure." Doing so, he took the headphones and slipped them over his ears, hearing nothing, however. He listened intently, wondering why she'd wanted him to wear her headphones at all.

Just then, however, he was caught substantially more off-guard; Takane leaned over, resting her head against his chest. With pink cheeks, she gave him one final, incredibly shy glance—before closing her eyes and slipping unconscious. He was quick to wrap his arms around her so she wouldn't fall—though he was thoroughly confused. Soon hearing a familiar voice inside those headphones, however, he realized what was going on.

"Haruka." Too shy to convey her feelings through actions, but wanting him—and only him to hear, she spoke to Haruka with power of Opening Eyes.

"Thank you for everything you did for me. When we were in school together, and with everything that happened recently. Thank you for always being my friend, even though I'm… difficult."

Wanting to correct her, he instantly said, "But, Takane is—!"

"—amazing?" she said, finishing his sentence before laughing. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that. Thank you for that, too. For feeling that way." There was a long pause between the two of them, before Haruka could finally find what he wanted to say as well.

"You were my best friend. And nothing's changed. You still are," he eventually said, to which she didn't respond. "Takane really is the most amazing person I know."

"And you the most amazing person I know—and more than just my best friend," she said suddenly, almost reflexively. "Thank you for thinking I'm worth-while Haruka. A-And... and, more than anything," Her voice broke; it sounded like she was crying. He looked down at the unconscious girl, still asleep on his chest. A single tear slid down her cheek. Haruka reached up, sliding his thumb against her skin, wiping it away.

Though she wasn't awake, Takane's heart raced as she finished her thought. "Thank you for always smiling for me."

Haruka was touched; genuinely surprised with her bold words—and that she was outwardly telling him, no less. Takane, the girl who used to smack him just for saying "Good morning!" every day. She was thanking him. Almost feeling like he could cry too, he could only exhale her name, smiling even still. "Ah… Takane."

It might have been a minute, or two, or who knows how long. Neither said anything. Haruka sat there, content with holding Takane in his arms. In their few passing moments together, the sun had since set. But today, that didn't matter.

"Haruka, I—" Takane finally said. Slowly, she opened her eyes, looking up at the boy, as he gazed down at her just the same. Finally speaking with her true voice, she whispered the three words she'd longed to tell him for two whole years—and even long before that.

"I love you."

His heart skipped a beat. Though he'd heard her clearly, it took him a minute to really process what she'd said.

She loved him.

Now questioning reality more than ever, he could only stare at the girl still leaning against him, still in his arms. She just gazed at back—timid, unsure, awaiting what he had to say in reply. He felt a new, floaty sensation in his stomach. It wasn't bad. No, on the contrary, it was the exact opposite. He felt happy. Happier than he ever had. Suddenly, a few words echoed in the back of his mind. Though, he wasn't exactly sure if he was the one who said them. Regardless, in that moment, he realized—those few words were true. They were so true. "You feel the same, Haruka."

Haruka now concluded why Takane's ability was truly _eye-opening._

With her head still pressed to the boy's chest, Takane could hear Haruka's heart rate speed up. He smiled down at her just as he had a million times before—and inevitably would, a million times to come. Then tightening his hold around the Takane, he cradled her as though she were the most delicate thing in the world. He nuzzled his cheek to the top of her head—a reaction she wasn't expecting. Just as she wasn't expecting what he'd say next.

"I love you, too, Takane."


End file.
